A dynamically changing spline curve for the motion of a game character

Dag Nylund

Ole E. Flaten

Abstract

In computer games a frequent gameplay mode consists of a non-player character (NPC) which patrols around to defend certain items. The player tries to collect these items for her inventory. The NPC’s role is to make this challenging (in an entertaining way) for the player. The NPC’s patrol path is often implemented by using the A* algorithm. In this paper we present an algorithm which uses B-splines and basic learning concepts to construct the NPC’s path, and its motion and behavior in general. We look at some learning strategies for the NPC and use gamedesign concepts to construct the spline curves. The NPC’s path will be a dynamically changing spline curve based on gameplay principles and the NPC’s knowledge.